Method for building levees



Nov. 13, 1934. w. E. PHILIPS IETHOD FOR BUILDING LEVEES Fild Nov. 14. 1932 12 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 13, 1934. w. E. PHILIPS 1,980,634

METHOD FOR BUILDING LEVEES Filed NOV. 14 1932 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 13, 1934. w. E. PHILIPS IETHOD FOR BUILDING" LEVEES Filed Nov. 14. 1952 12 Sheets-Sheet 3 IL M J I fimzzz/arfi v Z w M 1934- w. EQ PHILIPS 1,980,634

" ETHOD FOR BUILDING LEVEES Filed Nov. 14. 1932 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 X a UJUWUWQ Nov. 13, 1934. w. E. PHILIPS 7 1,980,634

IETHQD FOR BUILDING LEVEES Filed Nov. 14. 1932 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 44240? [NW at Nov. 13, 1934. I w. E. PHILIPS 1,980,634

METHOD FOR BUILDING LEVEES v Filed Nov. 14. 1952 12 Sheets-Sheet 'e Nov. 13, 1934. w. E. PHILIPS 1,980,634

IIEIHQD FOR BUILDING LEVEES Filed Nov. 14. 1952 .12 Shams-Sheet 7 1934- w. E." PHILIPS 1,980,634

METHOD FOR BUILDING LEVEES Filed Nov. 14. 1932 '12 Sh e ets-Sheet 8 y fig? Nov. 13, 1934.

w. E. PHILIPS 1,980,634

METHOD FOR BUILDING LEVEES Fi l e d Nov. 14. 1952 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 %WW/W Nov. 13, 1934; w. E. PHILIPS METHOD FOR BUILDING LEVEE'S Filed Nov. 14. 1932 12 Sheets-Sheet 1d 2; M4 HM Nov. 13, 1934. w. E. PHILIPS 1,980,634

METHOD FOR BUILDING LEVEES Filed Nov. 14. 1952 12 Sheets-Sheet ll Nov. 13, 1934. w. E. PHILIPS ,6

METHOD FOR BUILDING LEVEES Filed Nov. 14. 1932 12 Sheets-Sheet 12 Patented Nov. 13, 15934 METHOD FOR BUILDING LEVEES William E. Philips, Chicago, IlL, assignor to Link-Belt Company, a corporation of Illinois Application November 14, 1932, Serial No. 642,518

9 Claims. (01. 61--30) The construction of levees and the equipment material from the borrow pit to the levee. Oi employed therein have become quite specialized course, the return of the empty bucket consumes since mechanical methods first began to displace approximately 50% of the operating time. With the old conventional method involving the use of this system it is diflicult to avoid frequent and mules and scrapers. Heretoiore, many different serious trouble with the cables due to obstrucmethods have been employed or, at least tried out, tions in the path of the bucket, particularly dursome of these involving mechanism specially deing night operation or foggy weather when the signed for the purpose and others employing paroperator in the tower is unable to observe the ticular arrangements of conventional machines. working conditions. Another serious objection to 10 A brief review of the more prominent methods this method is that when the borrow pit consists now in use may facilitate the understanding of of clay or buckshot material, it is delivered onto the present invention to be hereinafter described. the levee in eight or ten yard gobs or chunks,

Of course, the old method of employing mules depending upon the size of the bucket, one gob and wheel scrapers is still in use, but to a very or chunk on top of another,-thus causing many limited extent. This method consists simply in voids which result in the levee settling for many scraping the material from the borrow pit directyears after it is built. 1y to the levee, where it is deposited. It must There is still another method, which involves be conceded a this method p c an e C D- a circular railroad to which material is delivered tionally d l v better p rh p than n b by draglines and loaded into side dump cars. The

produced by known mechanical methods. This material is transported to the levee site by these is due to the dragging of the scrapers over the cars and dumped into a pit, whence it is dug by material deposited on the levee, and to the trampdragline and overcast into the levee. It is genering down of the material by the mules, thus givally necessary to overcast this material twice, and ing a packing effect which known mechanical in most instances the Work must be finished by ds have b u ab e to omplish. This mules and scrapers. It is apparent that this methmethod. however, is now practically obsolete due od is comparatively slow and involves many hanto its high cost and small capacity as compared dlings of the material. to mechanical methods- The purpose of the foregoing is to bring out A m c a ical method Whic is W Com o ly some of the problems and operating difficulties e p y d involves the use Of tractors and Cater involved in the construction of levees, together pillar According to this method, mate with the advantages and disadvantages of methrim is dug either by dlaglin'es by elevating ods heretofore developed, in order that the obgraders and loaded into Wagons- In the latter jects. and advantages of the present invention case, the elevating graders dig a swath about eight m be more readily appreciated to twelve inches deep, traveling along at about primary object of the invention is to one hundred n fifty feet per mmute and vide an improvedmethod and apparatus for buildvate the material by means of conveyors which mg levees ig n a ,gvkn f th tion to provide a method and apparatus capable 1 y i Ves 1 o e of building better levees than can be built by the equipment in the portion of the borrow pit where th method and apparatus hei etoiore employed.

e material has oeen excavated, and for this Another particular obJectis to provlde a methason, much trouble and expense is occasioned t b f hich the cost of by the tractors and wagons miring in the soft magg g g i ggfia gi g g i:: f reduce 40 tenal' when bonow pics are located alonb a Other objects relate to particular features of river, as is usually the case, soft material is generally encountered at a depth of from twelve to the methods, the arrangement of the apparatus, and the advantages derived therefrom, all of eighteen inches.

Another method now in use is the smcaned which will be pointed out and fully explained to Tower 5y5tem This method is used principally in the following description of the embodiments for rebuilding old levees, and for this purpose con- 0f the invention st d in the accompanyll'lg sists of a tower located on the river side of the drawingslevee, another tower on the opposite side of the Referring to the drawin borrow pit, and draglines connecting the two. Figures 1 to 6 inclusive are respective views 55 A bucket is secured to the dragline for dragging illustrating a corresponding number of different methods and equipment layouts therefor, for

levee construction work.

Figures '7 and 8 taken together illustrate on an enlarged scale a portion of the equipment involved in certain of the methods and layouts illustrated in the preceding figures.

Figure 9 illustrates the construction of the distributing boom conveyor employed in carrying out certain of the methods.

Figures 10 and 11 illustrate one form of feeder which may be used in each of the layouts above mentioned and which is designed to receive material taken from the borrow pit, disintegrate same and feed it onto the main conveyor system by which it is carried in a continuous stream to the levee.

Figures 12, 13, 14 and 15 are views in plan, side elevation, longitudinal and transverse sections, respectively, of a modified form of feeder designed for the same purposes as that illustrated in Figures 10 and 11. This modified form of feeder is designed to be mounted directly on the units of the main conveyor system.

Figure 16 illustrates a slight modification of the apparatus shown in Figures 7 and 8.

Figure 17 is a perspective view illustrating a further method and equipment layout for levee construction work.

Fundamentally, the new method consists in transporting a relatively continuous stream of material from the point of origin to the head of the levee, where it is suitably distributed to form a levee of the desired type. Preferably, the material is distributed in relatively small increments. According to this method, the excavating machines may be positioned on top of the borrow pit, with a conveyor system serving the several excavators and conveying the material dug thereby to the building portion of the levee. At this point the material is received by avdistributing unit, which may take the form of a swinging boom conveyor, and this unit controllably distributes the material according to a predetermined plan, for building the levee.

According to the preferred method and layout of equipment herein illustrated in Figure 1, there is provided one or more excavators A, a corresponding number of feeders B, one or a series of conveyor units C and a distributing unit D. The conveyor unit or units and the distributor unit are preferably mounted on trucks which in turn are supported by a series of tracks E. The borrow pit from which material is taken by the excavators A follows the line of the building levee and the excavating work progresses in step with the construction of the levee. It will be understood, of course, that the borrow pit will be of such width as is required to provide the volume of material required for the particular levee under construction. Thus, by simply providing an appropriate number of excavating units, feeder units and conveyor units, any desired size of levee can be constructed with this equipment and according to the method here involved.

Each of the feeders, which are illustrated in detail in views to be hereinafter described, embodies a hopper designed to receive material from its associated excavating unit and beneath the hopper is provided a conveyor belt which carries' the material to the belts of the main conveyor system C. These feeder units B also embody mechanism for suitably preparing the material for introduction into the levee. This mechanism as hereinafter described involves a series of cutter elements positioned above the conveyor belt and rotatable in opposition to the flow of material on the belt for the purpose of disinte grating this material before it is finally deposited on the belt of the main conveyor units C. Thus the material deposited in the hoppers of the several feeder units is disintegrated and reduced to relatively small sizesbefore being transferred to the main conveyor system. The material thus prepared is delivered in a continuous stream from the feeder units B onto the main conveyor units C and by the latter is conveyed continuously and in an unbroken stream to the distributing unit D.

The distributing unit, which will be hereinafter described with reference to a structural illustration in another view, consists essentially of a bridge on which is supported a tripper and a swinging boom conveyor, both designed to travel longitudinally of the bridge and the distributor being further capable of pivotal movement. Thus, by combining ability for longitudinal and swinging movements, the boom of the distributor is capable of reaching and effectively constructing both lateral extremities of the levee and also of filling in and building up the core, all without requiring a boom of excessive length.

The method which the above described apparatus is designed to carry out is characterized essentially by the following points:

1. Continuity of flow of material from the borrow pit into the levee.

2. Proper sizing preparation of the material to be used in building the levee.

3. Selective discharge of the material according to any predetermined plan of levee construction.

substantially elevated point, resulting in continuous compacting of material as deposited by increments into the levee.

5. Substantially straight line progression of the entire layout of equipment in advance of the building levee.

Point 1 above represents a considerable advance over methods previously employed in this Work, all of which involve the transportation of material intermittently or in stages from the borrow pit to the levee and also the discharge into the levee of large quantities of material frequently and almost invariably in the form of very large gobs or chunks. Thus, in many cases material is placed in the levee in precisely the form in which it is removed from the borrow pit, thus resulting in the piling'of gobs or chunks one on top of another with many large voids interspersed throughout the levee construction and which do eventually become closed by settling and sliding of portions of the levee construction. These difficulties are avoided according to the present method by proper preparation of the material which involves reducing it to relatively small sizes, which, together with the discharging of the material from a substantially elevated point, results in a natural and forceful compacting action by which the material becomes kneaded into one homogeneous mass. The practice of the improved method, therefore, produces a solid levee structure without crevices or voids of appreciable size and which will therefore not be subiect to destructive and costly settlings and slidings such as have repeatedly been experienced in the con-- struction of levees according to known methods.

It has been found also that by virtue of the ad vantages above enumerated it is possibleto use materials which under other practices would not be at all permissible. For example, in the practice of the new method under consideration it is possible in many cases to use very wet material which could not otherwise be successfully used, and this, of course, gives rise to the possibility of carrying on with the construction of levees during unfavorable weather, which under other circumstances would not be possible.

The preferred manner of practicing the method above described is to first construct the toes of the levee, in effect providing firm retaining walls. This is done by positioning the swinging boom conveyor upon the bridge so as to bring the area on which the toe is to be constructed within its range of action. This is followed by the discharge of a continuous stream of prepared material from the elevated outer end of the swinging boom distributor onto the area where the toe is to be constructed. By appropriately manipulating the swinging boom distributor, the toe is completely constructed and bearing in mind that this portion of the construction involves the falling of the material through the maximum distance it will readily be appreciated that the toes of the levee so constructed will be of very fine and firm texture. The tripper mechanism and swinging boom distributor are then jointly moved to a point adjacent to the opposite end of the bridge and the other toe of the levee is constructed in a like manner. Then by placing the tripper and swinging boom in a central position on the bridge, material may be distributed into the central area to form the core of the levee. Having completed toes of substantial construction, it is apparent that the core may be built up without fear of slips or slides, and in this phase of the work particularly it is possible to use either a very wet or a loose material if occasion requires, inasmuch as the core is well reinforced and held in place by the solidly constructed toes.

After completing the construction within the range of the laterally movable and swinging distributor, it is necessary to advance the entire layout of equipment and this may be quickly accomplished by virtue of the mounting of the conveyor and distributor units on tracks and the mounting of the remaining units on self-propelling caterpillar treads.

A variation of the above method is illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings. According to this showing, substantially the same layout of equipment is used and the corresponding units are here designated by the same reference letters distinguished by a prime mark. In this case, the entire base of the levee including the toes F and the central portion is constructed throughout the entire length of the levee or, if desired, through only a predetermined distance. The equipment th n progresses in an opposite direction for the purpose of constructing the top portion T of the levee. Thus, as shown in Figure 2, two distinct cuts are taken from the borrow pit, the first for building the base of the levee as the equipment progresses in one direction and the second or final cut is taken to provide material for constructing the top portion of the levee while the equipment progresses in the opposite direction. This method does not differ essentially from the one first described, as in the construction of the base the toes may be first laid and the center or core thereafter filled in and on the return travel the cap or top of the levee may be likewise constructed by first building up the portion corresponding to the toes thereafter building the core. The

practice of this method becomes necessary where the moisture in the borrow pit precludes the taking of a deep out suflicient to aiTord material for completely constructing the levee. A shallow cut is first taken and used'in the construction of the levee base and when the bottom of the pit thus exposed dries sufiiciently the process may be reversed and a second cut taken to provide material for the top of the levee.

According to a third method and layout of equipment illustrated in Figure 3, there is provided a plurality of excavating units A a series of feeder units B one or more conveyor units C arranged in end to end relation and extending in a line at right angles to the line of advance of the levee and a swinging boom distributing conveyor D for receiving the material gathered and transported by the foregoing equipment and controllably distributing the same to form a desired type of levee. In this form also the several units, excepting the excavators are mounted on tracks extending parallel with the line of advance of the levee. The excavators, of course, are mounted on caterpillar treads and are self-propelling from one point to another.

In this form the feeders B are also designed to afford proper preparation of the material before it is passed on to the main conveyor units C The prepared material is ultimately discharged into the hopper of the swinging boom distributing conveyor D and the latter serves to discharge the material into the levee in substantially the same manner as is described in connection with Figure 1 and with like results. Thus the material may be discharged from the elevated end of the swinging conveyor boom to build up a compact toe construction on each side and thereafter the core G may be built by discharging the material centrally of the levee.

It is noted that in this third form the boom of the distributing unit must'be of sufiicient length to include the entire width of the levee within its radius of action, as no provision is made for lateral movement of the distributing unit.

Figure 4 illustrates still a further method and layout of equipment designed particularly for the enlargement of existing levees, although it may be also used for the construction of levees of relatively small cross sectional area. In this case there is also employed excavating units A feeder units B conveyor units 0 and a distributing unit D It will be noted, however, that the distributing unit D instead of being positioned in advance and centrally of the levee, is in this case positioned to one side of the levee which is to be enlarged. Thus there is provided a series of units arranged in a straight line extending substantially at ri ht angles to the line of the levee, the final unit D however, being capable of swinging movement and having a considerable radius of action. The reference character G indicates the old levee which is to be enlarged and which in reality forms the core of the new levee construction. The distributing unit D is in the form of a swinging boom conveyor designed to receive prepared material from the series of conveyor units C and distribute the same to form on one side of the levee a toe F which. is built up and merged into the old levee construction. In some cases the enlargement on one side of the levee i may be sufiicient but in others it may be desired to provide a similar enlargement on the opposite side of the levee, in which case the swinging boom distributor D may be so positioned as to discharge material throughout a portion of its radius of ac- CAD tion onto the opposite side of the levee. Such material may then be recast by means of drag lines or the lilze for the purpose of 'forming an enlargement on this side of the old levee.

In this form of the invention portions of the equipment such as conveyor units 0 may be mounted on skids E instead of .on tracksas in previous forms. The other units may be moun ed on caterpillars as indicated. It will be understood, of course, that the feeder units B also incorporate suitable means for preparing the material as referred to hereinabove.

A second levee enlargement method illus trated in Figure 5 and involves the use of units A B C and D substantially the same as the corresponding units illustrated in Figure 3., although somewhat differently arranged. In this case the bridge of the distributing unit D is mounted on tracks arranged parallel to the line of the levee and the swinging boom conveyor operates from various positions lengthwise of this bridge and also is capable of swinging movement. The old levee is indicated at (3- and the enlargement at y In the practice of this method the excavating units A deposit material into the hopper of the feeder B which in turn disintegrates the material, reducing it to appropriate sizes and feeds it on to the main conveyor unit or units C The material thus delivered and prepared is into the hopper at the end of the distributor unit D- and by means of the tripper mechanism is ultimately delivered to the hopper of the swinging boom conveyor. The swinging boom operates through an are somewhat less than rear-'- wardly from the position in which it is shown.

Thus the material may be variably from the elevated end of the swinoii'ig boom to form the toe and gradually build up the body oi": the levee enlargement. This method embodies many or the advantages of the methods hereinabove described, particularly in reference to the distribution of a material which is relatively finely divided and to the compacting action of such material discharged from a relatively point. advantages of a continuous flow of material into the leeve ccnstrution.

A method differing considerably from those hereinabove described is illustrated in Figure 6 and consists essential of one or more excava ing units A feeder u s 33 a series of conveyor units C arranged in end to end relation and in a line extending substantially at right to the line of the levee and a distributiunit or conveyor D mounted. directly on top of the levee and extending longitudinally thereof. The unit D is track mounted so as to be capable of readily advancing step by step with the advancement of the levee construction.

According to this method the excavating units A deposit material in feeders E which after suitably preparing the material discharge the same onto the belts of the conveyor units 0 by which it is carried up to the unit 13 position on top of the levee. unit so positioned to dischai e the material slightly in advance and centrally of the completed portion of the levee, thus building up a pile (3- Dragline eX- cavators H are used to overcast the material from the pile G to form the toes and build up lateral portions of the levee structure. 0bviously this method possesses many of vantages of those hereinabove described, 133,1- ticularly the preparation of the material and are capable of The method also, of course, provides the continuous transportation thereof from the borrow pit to the building portion of the levee. It will be noted, however, that this method involves a'considerable amount of handling of the material after it reaches the levee site as compared with those methods in which the material is distributed in a flexible and continuous manner by swinging boom distributing units.

Figures 7, 8. and 9 illustrate the general character of the distributing units of the methods illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 5. Thus referring to these figures the distributing unit D consists of a bridge at having tracks 01 on which are mounted a tripper unit d and a swinging boom distributor unit d These two units are connected by a detachable connecting limit d which maintains them in proper cooperative connection with the discharge end of the tripper conveyor d position to discharge material into the hopper d of the swinging boom distributor. From the hopper (1 material is discharged directly onto the belt (2 of the swinging boom. The tripper d and the swinging boom distributor icing moved lengthwise of the bridge d, thus bringing the lateral limits of the levee within range or the relatively short boom of the distributing Referring to Figure '7 there is shown in dotted out-line one of the many possible positions of the tripper and distributor on the bridge d.

Referring particularly to Figure 9 it will be noted that the swinging boom of the distributor d has a rearward extension which is suitably counterweighted to compensate for the weight of the boom. This rearward extension is of such length that the boom is not free to rotate throughout a complete circle but is limited by reason of the interference of the tripper with the rearward extension. of the boom. It is in many cases desirable that the boom be rotated 180" in order that it may discharge material rearwardly of the bridge (2 for the purpose of filling in to permit the laying of tracks. For this purpose the tripper unit .0? and distributing unit 01 are connected by the link 0 which permits of separation of these two units when occasion requires. Thus by disconnecting the link d the distributing unit d may be moved laterally far enough to permit free movement of the boom through 180 after which the two units can then'be reconnected and the distributing unit can be used for the purposes above indicated.

An alternative arrangement designed to per- -mit use of the distributing unit for filling in land in advance of the bridge (2 to facilitate the laying of tracks is illustrated in Figure 16. In this figure the tripper framework, particularly the inclined frame No. J and the vertical frame No. J are arranged to permit the swinging of the boom throughout 180. Thus it will be observed that there is ample clearance in this arrangement for 4 after suitably preparing the material deposits it on the connected series of conveyor units.

One form of feeder is illustrated in .Figures 10 and 11 wherein the feeder i3 is shown to consist of caterpillar supporting treads b a hopper b for receiving material from the excavators and an inclined conveyor b for carrying material to the transversely extending conveyor unit C. In order to insure centralized loading of the belt of the conveyor units C, there is provided a pivoted deflecting plate b positioned in advance of the discharge end of the conveyor b Thus the material carried upwardly by the conveyor 12 strikes the pivoted deflector b which tends to load the material centrally of the conveyor belt. A power operated screw and nut adjusting device b is provided for raising or lowering the discharge end of the conveyor 22 as may be required by conditions.

For the purpose of disintegrating the material discharged into the hopper b there is provided a power driven jack shaft b to which is secured a series of cutters b This shaft is arranged to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction, thus causing the cutters b to move in opposition to the direction of movement of the conveyor belt 12 Hence, the material carried upwardly by the belt b will come into engagement with the cutters b" and will be continuously retarded or held back until the cutters have accomplished their purpose of reducing the material to sizes sufiiciently small to pass by the cutters. These cutters, as indicated in Figure 11, are spaced lengthwise of the shaft 2) and are also arranged in staggered arrangement circumferentially. Material deposited into the hopper b of the feeder is in many instances in the form of one or several very large chunks or gobs, and it is essential that these be reduced to relatively small sizes before being introduced into the levee. This is accomplished in a satisfactory manner by the disintegrating mechanism forming part of the feeder unit just described.

An alternative and preferred form of feeder unit is illustrated in Figures 12 to 15 inclusive. The feeder H here shown consists of an endless bar type of conveyor made up of a plurality of bars 11. This conveyor moves in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 14 and discharges material over the left hand end thereof directly onto the belt of a conveyor unit C on which the feeder is supported. Referring to Figure 15 it will be observed that longitudinal tracks are provided on the lateral edges of the conveyor unit C and that the feeder H is provided with suitable wheels it supported by these tracks. A motor 71 is provided which through suitable transmission mechanism is arranged to drive the conveyor of the feeders and also to propel the feeder lengthwise of the conveyor C when occasion requires. Positioned in spaced relation to the discharge end of the feeder conveyor is a vertical abutment plate h and carried by this plate are two knives or cutters b These cutters b are arranged at a substantial angle to the vertical and in laterally spaced relation. Thus, a large lump of material discharged from the conveyor falls directly onto 4 the knives n and is supported thereby until suitably disintegrated by the means new to be described.

Certain ones of the bars h of the conveyor are provided with cutters it. These cutters are of elbow form arranged to be freely journaled on the bars 71 and to engage adjacent bars to maintain them in operative position. Thus, the cutters 71. extend vertically upward on the load carrying travel of the conveyor and depend downwardly on the return travel of the conveyor as indicated clearly in Figure 14.

A portion of the material discharged onto the bars 71. of the conveyor will pass between these bars and fall directly onto the belt of the conveyor C as positioned therebeneath. The larger material will be retained on the bars, although having been somewhat disintegrated by falling onto the several cutters h and will be conveyed to the point of discharge where this material will fall upon the spaced cutters b Large portions of material will remain on the cutters 71 until such time as the continuous passage of v the cutters h result in sufiiciently disintegrating the material to permit its passage through the discharge space and onto the belt of conveyor 0; It will be noted that the cutters h are arranged in staggered relation providing four series of cutters, two series of which operate in the space between the cutters 71. and the other two of which operate in the space outwardly of the two cutters h The result of this arrangement is to provide for adequate disintegration of all material before permitting it to pass on to the main conveyors.

A further feature of the feeder shown in Figures 12 to 15 inclusive is the provision designed particularly for the handling of relatively fine material. For this purpose there is provided a series of plates h loosely carried by certain of the bars 71. and designed to rest upon adjacent bars. These plates effectively block off any desired portion of the spaces between the several bars, thus retarding the flow of finely divided loose material therethrough. The object of such an arrangement is to prevent overloading and uneven loading of the belt of the main conveyor unit C. For

example, if something of this character were not employed, the dumping of a large bucket of finely divided material into the hopper of the feeder unit would result in substantially the entire quantity of material passing immediately through the feeder conveyor and onto the belt of the main conveyor C. This would result in an overload on the main conveyor C and also in extremely uneven loading cf the main conveyor owing to the fact that there would be practically no load on the belt until such time as a second bucket of material were discharged into the hopper of the feeder. Referring to Figures 13 and i l it will be observed that the plates H7 are carried loosely by the bars b in order that they may freely swing to a depending position on the return travel of the conveyor. By virtue of this arrangement the spaces between the bars are unobstructed on the,

lower or return ring of the conveyor. The plates 71. may be arranged in any manner desired and may be used in any desired numbers to accomplish the purposes herein set forth. The particular arrangement shown is merely for purposes of illustration.

In Figure 17 there is illustrated a further embodiment of the invention, particularly designed for enlarging and rebuilding old levees. there is shown an excavating unit A adapted to discharge into a feeder unit B positionedon one of a series of aligned conveyor units C which extend at right angles to the levee. The units C as shown, are provided with supports E although they may be track mounted as shown in some of the preceding figures.

The last unit C of the series is positioned on one of the lateral inclined surfaces of an old levee, with its discharge end positioned to deliver material onto a conveyor unit D which extends longitudinally on top of the old levee. 'A swinging boom distributor H is positioned adjacent the discharge end of unit D and is adapted to receive material therefrom and distribute same to carry out the desired reconstruction or enlargement work.

The old levee is indicated at F and there is Thus,

IUD

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shown as having been constructed, an enlargement G. In the particular case illustrated the enlargement is of uniform character, extending the width of the levee. It should be understood, however, that any desired reconstruction or enlargement plan may be carried out with the equipment and by the method described.

The feeder units of this and the other methods described are preferably of the type illustrated in Figures 12 to 15 inclusive, hereinabove described. Thus, all of the methods are characterized by special preparation of the material for levee building purposes.

One of the outstanding objections to levee con struction methods heretofore practiced or proposed is that they all contemplate the depositing of large lumpy material into the levee. This invariably results in a levee construction which will eventually slip, slide or settle, owing to the numerous large voids and crevices occasioned by the dumping of one chunk on top of another. Such methods also present a very serious problem of quantities of organic matter being placed into the levee undetected because of being incorporated in the large gobs or chunks of which the levee is built. The inevitable decay of such matter results after a period of time in a defective levee which must be reconstructed.

Hence, the proper preparation of material for levee building is perhaps the most important step in a successful method for this purpose. Accord.- ing to the present invention in its various forms, this is satisfactorily and economically accomplished by passing all material through a dis I integrating apparatus which reduces it to appropriate size for introduction into the levee and which also exposes for separation all organic sub stances which may be embodied in the material taken out of the borrow pit. tice of the various methods according to the present invention, the material taken from the borrow pit is suitably reduced in size for introduction into the levee and in this connection it may be mentioned that the particular sizing of the material may be carried out to meet any desired specifica tions laid down for the construction of a levee. The invention further contemplates as an important step in the various methods disclosed the systematic removal of all objectionable substances from the disintegrated material as it passes in a continuous stream along the series of conveyor units toward the levee. Thus, the various main conveyor units are in eitect picking tables at which men are stationed at suitable intervals for the purpose or removing all undesirable matter. This process is readily carried out with a small amount of labor and is facilitated by the normal turning and tumbling of the material as it travels along the conveyor units and as it is discharged from one unit onto the end of an adjacent unit. During the entire course of travel of the material along the main conveyor system, full opportunity is afforded for the complete removal of objection-- able matter. Thus the matter as it reaches the levee is an accurately processed material, perfectly suited for the work it is to perform.

A further important feature of the invention in its various aspects is the continuity of operations. According to each of the several methods described, the material flows in a continuous and a substantially uniform stream from the borrow pit directly into the levee. This is in reality the keystone of the most rapid and efficient levee building method that has yet been devised. Of the many methods heretofore used or suggested,

Thus, in the mac-- all involve the intermittent handling of large quantities of material from the borrow pit to the levee, either in one ora plurality of stages. Thus, the method herein disclosed may be aptly de-. scribed as the first truly mechanized operation for levee construction. The material flows in a continuous unbroken stream in relatively small quantities at any given point and is continuously discharged into the levee likewise in relatively small increments, but by virtue of the continuity of operation these methods will result in the handling of quantities of material per hour or per day far in excess of anything heretofore accomplished.

In relation to the structural character of the completed levee, a further feature of outstanding importance is the discharge of the processed material from a relatively high point represented by the discharge end of the swinging boom distrib utor resulting in a natural compacting action as the material falls increment by increment into the levee. The material thus becomes kneaded into a homogeneous mass, eliminating all voids and crevices and forming an extremely solid and durable levee. This feature is of particular importance in construction of the toes of the levee and in relation to the character of material to be handled. Thus, in many cases it is necessary to work with relatively wet material, which, if not processed as herein described, and if not so kneaded into a homogeneous mass, would be entirely-ui isuitable for levee building purposes.

It will be noted also that the equipment described in relation to the various methods herein disclosed is adapted for the handling of the entire range of materials encountered in levee building work. Thus the feeders may be conditioned for the handling of fine, sandy material or of very coarsematerial, either wet or dry. This is of particular advantage in that it permits ofcon-- tinuous operation in a large measure irrespective of weather conditions encountered or of changes from one type of material to another as the work progresses. It is worthy of mention also that the methods of the present invention achieve entirely new standards in the matter of labor costs. work being so completely mechanized it requires a very small amount of labor as compared tomethods heretofore used.

Among the advantageous mechanical features of the present method and apparatus is the substantially constant power requirement. There are no peak loads such as exist in some of the known methods. the large per hour capacity due to the handling of small quantities of material continuously, as distinguished from the discontinuous handling of large quantities and the consequent loss of time in the transmission of empty equipment. The flexibility of the present apparatus is also worthy of note. If an obstruction is found in the normal line of operations, it is a very simple matter to so arrange the conveyor units as to avoid it. These units need not be in alignment. The excavators may also be readily manipulated to avoid obstructions.

The word continuous as used in the specification and claims is intended to means unbroken, uninterrupted, or without time interval and, of course, has reference to normal operating conditions. For example, under the method of this invention, material may be continuously transported from the borrow pit to the levee site, in

the sense that it is possible to maintain a con-- tinuous flow of the material, :as-distinguished from The Another important feature is an interrupted flow such as a succession of distinct loads or quantities with intervening intervals of time and space. This meaning is also intended to apply to the distribution of the material at the levee site, the material being deposited upon the levee in a continuous stream, as distinguished from the depositing of successive loads or quantities, as in other methods.

The expressions, unworked ground, or unworked portion of the borrow pit have reference to that ground or that portion of the borrow pit from which material has not been taken to be placed in the levee. The term borrow pit has reference to the entire area from which material has been or is to be taken for construction of the levee.

It is to be understood that all reference to and representation of particular mechanisms are for purposes of illustration only and that the invention embraces all manner of mechanism which, broadly, is functionally equivalent of that shown and described. For example, the dragline excavators shown may be replaced by shovels, power hoes, trench diggers, or any other form of excavating and loading equipment. Likewise, the conveying equipment may be of the belt, fiight, bucket, or any other suitable type. Also, any desired type of distributing unit may be employed.

I claim:

1. The method of building levees which comprises removing material from a borrow pit, disintegrating the material, continuously and uniformly moving the material to the site of the levee, depositing material along zones following the opposite longitudinal edges of the levee site to form the toes of the levee, and then depositing material between the toes to form a core portion of the levee.

2. The method of building levees which comprises excavating material from a borrow pit, moving the excavated material to the levee site, depositing material along one longitudinal edge of said site to form one toe of the levee, then depositing material along the other longitudinal edge of said site to form a second toe, and finally depositing material between said toes to form the core of the levee.

3. The method of building levees which comprises excavating material from a borrow pit, moving excavated material from the borrow pit to a location on the levee site in advance of the working face of the building levee, and controllably distributing the material to form first a toe portion on one side of the levee site, then a toe portion on the other side of the said site, and finally the core portion between the said toe portions.

4. The method of building levees which comprises excavating material from a borrow pit, moving the excavated material to the levee site, first constructing the base portion of the levee by depositing material along zones following the longitudinal edges of the levee site to form toes and then depositing material between the toes to complete the base, and finally constructing the top of the levee by depositing material on the top of the base along zones following the longitudinal edges of the same to form new toes and then depositing material between the new toes to complete the levee.

5. The method of building levees which comprises excavating material from a borrow pit, constructing the base portion of the levee by moving excavated material to the levee site in advance of the working face of the building levee and controllably distributing the material along zones following the longitudinal edges of the levee site to form toes and then along the space between the toes to complete the base, and finally constructing the cap of the levee by moving excavated material to the top of the levee base and controllably distributing the material from said top along zones following the longitudinal edges or" the base to form new toes on the base and then between the new toes to complete the levee.

6. The method of building levees which comprises excavating material from a borrow pit, uniformly sizing the excavated material by separating fines from lumps, breaking up the lumps and returning the disintegrated material to the fines, moving all of the material to the levee site, and continuously and uniformly distributing the material from in advance of the working face of the levee.

7 The method of building levees to prevent the formation of voids which will result in slips, slides and excessive shrinkage comprising removing material from a borrow pit, uniformly disintegrating the oversize lumps in the material, con

tinuously moving the material to a location on the levee site in advance of the working face of the levee, removing decayable matter from the material while being moved to the levee site, and distributing the material in relatively small increments from an appreciable height above the levee site to cause the material to be compacted into a homogeneous mass as it falls into place in the building levee.

8. The method of building levees to prevent the formation of voids which result in slips, slides and excessive shrinkage comprising excavating material from a borrow pit, disintegrating the oversize lumps in the material, continuously moving said material to a location on the levee site in advance of the. working face of the building levee, continuously and uniformly distributing the material from said location on the levee site until a desired portion of a section of the levee has been completed, and moving the location of distribution transversely of the levee site as many times as is necessary to successively form the remaining portions of the section of the levee.

9. The method of building levees which comprises excavating material from a borrow pit, uniformly sizing the excavated material by separating fines from lumps, breaking up the lumps and returning the disintegrated lumps to the fines, moving all of the material to a location on the levee site in advance of the working face of the building levee, continuously and uniformly distributing the material from said location on the levee site until a desired portion of a section of the levee has been completed, and moving the location of distribution transversely of the levee site as many times as is necessary to successively form'the remaining portions of the section of the levee.

WILLIAM E. PHILIPS.

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